Flashback 2019: Most outstanding bowling performances of the year
The year 2019 was full of exhilarating action. It included the World Cup, the Ashes and many more series which enthralled cricket fans all over the world. Bucking the trend, bowlers dominated the bat this year. We saw the likes Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins, Trent Boult, Jofra Archer etc. coming to the fore and beating batsmen around the globe. With plenty of options to choose from, here the best bowling performances of 2019.
Tests
Jofra Archer 6/62 vs Australia
Jofra Archer (AFP)
The verdict of Ashes had already been decided by the time teams played out the fifth Test. However, every Ashes Test occupies a special place in cricket history, so does this one at The Oval. Archer, after his fiery debut at Lord’s and a five-for at Leeds, built his legacy in the final Test. Defending England’s total of 294, Archer ran through the Australian top order. After gobbling up their top three, he broke the 37-run stand for the tenth wicket and finished the tail. His 6/62 helped England take a lead of 69 runs. They eventually won the Test match with Archer adjudged Man of the Match.
Jasprit Bumrah 6/27 vs West Indies
India amassed 416 in their first innings of the second Test against West Indies at Kingston, Jamaica. Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah opened the bowling for India. After three overs, Bumrah changed ends and wreaked havoc on the Caribbean side. He removed the opener, John Campbell. In the second over of his new spell, Bumrah became only the third Indian Test bowler to take a hat-trick. He completed his five-for on the Caribbean and later finished with the figures of 6/27 in 12.1 overs.
Stumps and what a day it has been for India!
Firstly Hanuma Vihari made his maiden Test century followed by Ishant Sharma’s first Test fifty.
Then Jasprit Bumrah took a hat-trick and reduced West Indies to 13/4.
West Indies are 87/7 after India were bowled out for 416! pic.twitter.com/aOHu1AC4RV
— ICC (@ICC) August 31, 2019
ODIs
Yuzvendra Chahal 6/42 vs Australia
With the three-match ODI series level at 1-1, India and Australia met at Melbourne for the decider. Bhuvneshwar Kumar provided the early blows but at 100/2, Australia were placed comfortably. Yuzvendra Chahal broke the momentum as he snared three wickets in the middle overs. He returned in the end overs and completed a six-wicket haul. Australia finished at 230 all out and India clinched the match and the series with ease.
Trent Boult 5/21 vs India
(Image: ICC)
India lost only one ODI in the five-match series played in New Zealand and Trent Boult was the reason for it. At Hamilton, he ran through the Indian batting lineup. Boult sent back Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma with his swinging deliveries. By 20th over, Boult had dismissed three more Indian batsmen. At that stage, India were 55/8 and soon got all out for 92. New Zealand won the match by 8 wickets.
T20Is
Deepak Chahar 6/7 vs Bangladesh
In the decider T20I at Nagpur, India batted first and posted 174/5. Deepak Chahar’s consecutive wickets on two balls reduced Bangladesh to 12/2. His second over was the 13th over of the innings where he snared another wicket. Chahar then snapped a wicket on the last ball of his third over and followed it up with two wickets in two balls. He not only completed a hat-trick but also registered the best bowling figures in T20I cricket.
Lasith Malinga 5/6 vs New Zealand
Lasith Malinga (AFP)
When Sri Lanka scored only 125/8 in the third T20I at Pallekele, New Zealand were favourites to clinch the series 3-0. Lasith Malinga opened the bowling for Sri Lanka and his first over yielded only two runs. In the second over, he created history. With two bowled and two LBW dismissals, Malinga took four wickets in four balls. He returned to add another wicket to his tally and finished with astonishing bowling figures of 4-1-6-5.
